you wrote, <<not exactly frail, 5' 2",>> dear jj, you don't mention if you are slight or heavy. i can tell you, though, that at 5'2" if you weigh less than about 150 pounds you will swim in a carolina. i've taken lots of people out in my husband's carolina, and it is a very versatile starter boat- - - he loves it. (after 2.5 years) but small people really swim in it. i don't mean literally swim, (it's a beamy boat. . . . hard to tip out of!), i mean you will have too much room and even with the thigh braces, if you buy one, you will likely have to pad out the cockpit with foam (a good idea in any case, but i wanted you to be warned). in my (and many others' opinion(s)), perception's seat backs are crappy, and are best replaced with a good backband. best wishes kcd *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> you don't mention if you are slight or heavy. i can tell > you, though, that > at 5'2" if you weigh less than about 150 pounds you will swim in a > carolina. i've taken lots of people out in my husband's > carolina, and it > is a very versatile starter boat- - - he loves it. (after > 2.5 years) but > small people really swim in it. i don't mean literally swim, > (it's a beamy > boat. . . . hard to tip out of!), i mean you will have too > much room and > even with the thigh braces, if you buy one, you will likely > have to pad > out the cockpit with foam (a good idea in any case, but i > wanted you to be > warned). > > in my (and many others' opinion(s)), perception's seat backs > are crappy, > and are best replaced with a good backband. Yep, I also have a Carolina, and support KCDs coments. I'm 5'9" and about 170 lbs. and the cockpit is too large for me to do any real serious bracing, edging, etc. In fact, I quit learning how to roll in it. It can be rolled, but I'll resume my quest for a bombproof roll when I get my next boat (I'm scheduled to begin construction on an Outer Island in November - hope like hell to launch it sometime the following June). I could have padded the Carolina, but I've outgrown other characteristics of the boat as well, so why bother at this point. It's a great boat for a beginner, but as you move to low-intermediate to mid-intermediate, etc, the boat becomes somewhat of an obstacle to progress. Well, "progress" defined by your goals. When I started paddling, I wanted to do less than I ended up wanting to do after my first year was complete. Getting out a little bit made me want to get out a lot, and the tougher conditions I found myself in, the tougher conditions I wanted to master. At this point, I've just totally outgrown it. But, depending on the type of paddling you are interested in, it may be a great boat for you for many years. Just beware, a great boat this year may not be so great in a year or two, if your desires change. Think long-term - where do you want to end up? I can honestly say that in the past three years, my boat has held me back more than anything else (okay.... that and finances). Rick - Poquoson, VA *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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